That might work. I've been reading instruction after instruction to cover with plastic. So I have been having good luck and fast germination sowing in McDonald's salad trays (the ones with the black bottoms and clear plastic tops). I mixed a little good potting soil in with the peat, but I don't think you have to do that. I pour hot water over it and let it sit until it cools. If you can squeeze water out of it, then you need to let it dry until it is just nice and damp. I set them outside in the shade now, but it also works in the house, they just do better starting outside, but you get a later start that way. I cut 7 slits in the bottom with an exacto knife. When they are sealed shut, water droplets appear in the lid. When they germinate, I take the lids off, set them in a sunnier spot and mist. Then I can fill the lids with a little water and set the plants in that to bottom water. I got a bunch of free six pack, nine packs and transplant into those when the second set of leaves appear and let them grow on a bit. I will be using coir to line things and may try rooting some rose cuttings in that (ground up, not like what you likely have). I don't know how it would be to start seeds in. It would probably work, but can you bury the whole pot? I never wanted to bother with peat pots, too expensive for one thing and don't degrade in the ground fast enough unless you do what you do. Who needs it?

Those plug type things do seem to limit root growth. When I purchase plants at the greenhouse, I can pull them up in the fall and the plug is still visible and the roots have not grown well. I prefer buying plants in a 9/4x8 peat pot where you cut them apart. They seem to do better. I may try making some pots for seed starting out of newspaper. This year I am going to start my own tomatoes, etc. in the hope they will have good root systems not rootbound by the pot. Right now I have started some alpine strawberries in jiffy mix. They are doing well - in fact - I think all those tiny seeds sprouted and I ended up with extras I plan to give away.

OK, then I will keep snipping the blossoms off until they are in their permanent home in 2 weeks.

I use PRO Mix HP with a little perlite added at 3:1 ratio to make a 50/50(Peat/Perlite) mix. Seeds are surface sown with a covering of grit (Perlite,Pumice,Sand, or Granite Grit)at about 1.5 times seed thickness. This keeps seed in humid environment and stems drier after germination. Eliminate grit for seeds that require light for germination such as Sage Brush, Lettuce, etc. Subirrigate by capillary action or lightly mist from above as needed(usually at the 90% of container water capacity weight point or 10% weight loss). Pretreat seeds as needed to break dormancy (Scarification, Cold Treatment, Smoke Water, etc). Mulch Texture. One of the primary functions of a seed covering is to maintain a "moist, but not wet" environment around the germinating seed. To the novice grower, it might seem logical to choose a material that holds water but this is not the case. A good seed mulch functions by creating a break in texture at the top of the growing medium (figure 8.19). Because the growing medium is finer textured, water will not move into the coarser seed covering and so the surface of the medium remains moist, creating ideal conditions for seed germination. from "The Container Tree Nursery Manual Vol 6 Chapter 2" Hot Water Method: Good for Seeds with hard seed coats such as Lupines, Acacia, Black Locust etc. Plant the Swollen seeds, and retreat unswollen seeds. Capillary Bed ,Pregermination, and Hot Water Seed Treatment Examples Sidenote: Received some acorns this Jan, from CA Coastal Live Oak and CA Interior Live Oak. Placed acorns in container of water to select viable ones (sinkers). Removed Viable Acorns,Placed Acorns in a Baggie with Slighly Moist Peatmoss. Check weekly for Germination ( root starting to emerge). Placed Germinates on surface of soil mix 50/50 Peat/Perlte in tree tubes, and mulched with Perlite to just cover acorn. Seedlings are about 4in now doing great. Fertigate with 30ppm N with 18-18-22 for now, started fertigation about 3 weeks after sprouting. Large size of acorn supplies nutrients for a while to seedling.